So far I've got Pixies, The Fall and Sonic Youth pretty much covered but please disagree if you feel so inclined. I've seen Gang of Four and Half Man Half Biscuit mentioned on Amazon, and Ted Leo is thanked in the album sleeve for Travels with Myself and Another, but other than that there's not a great deal of information I've been able to find.

We're also expected to talk about influential movements so I'm thinking of grunge and CBGBs, but again I'm not really sure what aspects of the band they've influenced, if any.

You could talk about that Shellac sort of 'math rock' that isn't really math rock. Then you could bang on about Steve Albini and the stark recordings with loud drums (see The Jesus Lizard)

Also I remember being on the mclusky message board when he was trying to form a new band and 'Aural Guerilla' by The Ex was mentioned as an influence. I think the band Heavy Vegetable were mentioned too which is that vaguely math rock thing popping up again. Although I can't really hear much Heavy Vegetable in any of the stuff he's done. And sometimes the Falco shouty bits sound a bit like Tim Taylor from Brainiac imho. And from Brainiac you could vaguely tie Les Savy Fav cos I think he mentioned them too.

My link for The Clash, CBGBs etc. was FOTL's gradual lean towards the mainstream, I see those bands as having shaped what we now see as 'alternative pop'. Whether intentionally or not, I think bands like Bloc Party and The Strokes have had a kind of subconscious influence on FOTL, so if I play some Television and mention CBGBs I can get that whole idea out of the way and talk about stuff I find more interesting.

I only hear a really small lean towards the mainstream if any myself though. Certainly Mclusky had catchy poppy songs from the beginning and actually when they released what I thought to be attempts at really poppy singles (Ain't No Fool In Ferguson and Undress for Success) they fell flat a bit.

I think that the Steve Albini sound in general and the Jesus Lizard in particular were huge influences on Mclusky, more so than grunge, which was generally like that stuff except musically inferior and utterly humorless (except TAD who fucking ruled) (which Mclusky never were [humorless]). I like Mclusky, not so much FOTL.

though I can't remember if these were influences or not. I'd also chuck Chris Morris in there.
The 'pigfuck' type 90s american indie scene must be worth a mention (if it even existed, i think it's a catchall), already Jesus Lizard have been mentioned, Big Black, some of the guitar sounds on the first record are a bit Sonic Youthy, Unwound etc.

In terms of 'scenes', it may be worth mentioning the whole early 2000s punk/indie scene, there was loads of good bands round then like Ikara Colt, Martini Henry Rifles, Parkinsons who used to do the Sonic Mook nights n that. (Remember seeing the first incarnation of Liars a few times at them.) Again not sure if this is an influence- more a context.

but from what I can gather it's all buried beneath metaphors and nonsense.

I'm just leafing through the lyric booklet, are there any examples that spring to mind for you? I might end up looking a bit silly if I mention their recurring focus on topical satire without backing it up.

Someone pointed out that the audience member baiting in the live bit of Mcluskyism is very Hicks in delivery, and Hicks once said "I don't do drugs anymore...than the average touring funk band."

Jesus Lizard is definitely one I've heard mentioned by people who came to FOTL without real Mclusky knowledge. Also, just found a Falco quote on Wire: "The first three records, especially Chairs Missing, are to me, probably, the best modern music recorded."

I know you were talking about CBGBs as a turning point for alternative music, but what you should be doing is reading Our Band Could Be Your Life and swotting up on the college rock phenomenon, which pretty much laid the basis for a modern alternative band's modus operandi.

I realise I have a lot more ground to cover. I think mentioning grunge and CBGBs has highlighted my ignorance towards the roots of underground rock music.

Would it be fair to say bands mentioned in the book such as Sonic Youth, The Replacements and Big Black are the essence of a wider, underground, American rock scene/movement present throughout the 80s and 90s?

Disclaimer: Access to Music is a well-rounded institution which provides insider knowledge on a range of jobs within the music industry, not just becoming a rock star. Unfortunately, the latter is all anyone cares about so we'll all end up working in McDonald's.